Jaunty KAL

I really wanted to blog last night but couldn’t make myself do it. I raced home after work so dad and Beth could go to their Christmas dinner. I sat in my chair and pulled out my knitting. The dogs were sleeping and I kept knitting. I made it into the fourth skein.

WEATHER AND STORE CLOSINGS

While I was away the weather wasn’t great one day and it called for it to get worse during the day. Beth made the call for Lynn to stay home. She drives almost an hour to get to the store. If it’s bad weather out or calling for a storm the store will be closed for the day. I live about 20 minutes away but have to drive back roads to get to Ancaster. Please call before heading to the store on a bad weather day. If we don’t answer the phone then the store is closed. I will try and post on Instagram and on the website if we are closed for the day.

I decided yesterday afternoon that we should do a Knit A Long for Jaunty.

Photo © Andrea Mowry

You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

My hope for this project is to spark your creativity and sense of adventure! Don’t be afraid to play with different yarn weights, adjust the size, and use up your stash. Try different yarn textures, holding multiple strands together, or using handspun for a truly personal touch. The rhythmic stitch pattern offers a soothing flow, while the simple construction and adaptable sizing means you can use what you’ve got. This is definitely a pattern to knit again and again! This shawl is a shallow triangle, knit sideways using Half-Fishermen’s Rib

Here are the guidelines. We will send each person who qualifies a 15% off coupon code for a future purchase when the KAL ends.

1. We will cast on January 1, 2026.
2. Yarn to be purchased at the Needle Emporium. Yarn purchased starting December 25, 2025 qualifies. If you order online then we have you in the system. If you purchase in the store, please make sure that we take your email address.
3. The yarn can be anything from fingering weight to worsted weight.
4. Wear your finished Jaunty into the store for pictures. We will post these on the blog.
5. If you live out of town, please have someone take pictures of you (or someone if you don’t do pictures) wearing your shawl for us to post. 
6. The KAL will end on March 31, 2026. This will give everyone a chance to finish.

Your yarn choices are endless. Here are a few suggestions.

Fingering weight

• Crazy Zauberball
• Hedgehog Sock or Skinny Singles
• Emma’s Practically Perfect Sock
• Lang Footprints
• Malabrigo Sock
• Malabrigo Ultimate Sock
• Kathmandu Fingering
• Tough Love Sock

Sport/DK weight

• Starke 6
• Edition 3
• Malabrigo Arroyo
• Rowan Felted Tweed
• Emma’s So Sporty
• Arranmore Light
• Spincycle Dyed in the Wool
• Fine Tweed Haze
• Tweedy
• Patagonia
• Cardiff Cashmere

Worsted/Heavy Worsted

• Malabrigo Rios
• Malabrigo Washted
• Cascade 220
• Spincycle Dream State
• Noro Ito

This is my Jaunty knit in Dyed in the Wool. I used 5 skeins (1000 yards) and it is very large. How much yarn you need will depend on the size you want. Andrea show four shawls in different weights and different sizes. This will give you an idea on how much yarn you need. 

Diana is coming tomorrow to pick up yarn to make a Jaunty for the store. I need to decide on which yarn it will be. I’m torn between Rios (who doesn’t love a shawl in Rios), Starke 6 because of the striping or maybe Rowan’s Fine Tweed Haze. A bit of fluff and a bit of tweed.

A Finished Project

While I was away Alex blocked my third Sophie Scarf (pattern purchased on Ravelry). I used 3 skeins of Spincycle Plump (Neveruary) on 8mm needles. I left it in the store because I’m afraid Beth is going to claim it. 

I made it past the halfway point last night. This skein of Dyed in the Wool has colours that weren’t in the first two skeins. The fun part of knitting with Spincycle.

Now it’s time for a movie and knitting. Working all day is very tiring. I miss my afternoon nap.

Golf Room

I haven’t blogged about the golf room in a long time. Back in April we had a flood in the room. It’s been a long time with insurance etc but now the room is almost finished. Friends had this sign made for us and it is on the wall leading into the room.

Dad and Beth are hanging pictures and signed jerseys on the wall. On the floor is Jerry Rice, Jesse Barfield and my bowling shirt from when I was young. My mom saved the shirt and we didn’t know about it until we started unpacking trunks from mom and dad’s house.

On the wall is a Paul Henderson jersey. The baseball jersey (unfortunately it isn’t signed) was a Christmas present to Beth when she was about 10. It is Kent Tekulve and he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates - Beth was a huge fan. I remember going downtown with mom to have the name and number put on the shirt for Beth.

Beth is happy to be swinging her clubs again.

My Uncle Bert painted this picture of mom and dad’s house in Myrtle Beach.

The TV is working and the dart board has been a big hit. Dad can’t swing a golf club anymore but he loves throwing darts.

Beth set up the putting game.

Boscoe loves golf balls.

We’re excited to be using the room again. I think it will be a hit on Christmas Day but I’m not sure how I’m going to drag everyone out to help get dinner on the table.

There was a bit of knitting tonight. I made it to the halfway point on Jaunty. 

In case you missed it, we have added extra hours for the rest of December.

Now it’s bed time. My body is sore from swinging a club and throwing darts. 

Back To Work

I was in the store today packing orders and taking pictures. Here are the 3 new colours of Ito. The website has been updated.

Lynn put the new colours of Opal on the shelf Saturday morning. They are now on the website.

Last week Spincycle featured Andrea Mowry’s Inclinations Cowl (pattern purchased on Ravelry).

This cowl is the perfect all-the-time accessory! A fun and engaging knit with lots of squish that looks like an asymmetrical triangle shawl when worn, but it only takes a fiddle-free second to throw it on as the finish to every outfit! If you struggle styling shawls - then this cowl may be just the answer for you! It is knit flat sideways, on the bias, and then seamed up the back neck after blocking. This cowl utilizes Half-Fishermen’s Rib for the ultimate squish fabric and to create a really fun play on stripes!

I put together new kit combinations this morning and they are on the website.

If I was going to cast on a new Inclinations Cowl this would be the colours I would use - Bitter Pill and Rosy Maple.

I’ve knit the cowl twice and it was a fun knit. The colours in the cowl above are discontinued but I would suggest Absolute Zero or Purse First with Pick Your Poison.

This is Rosy Maple and Salty Dog.

The new colours from Spincycle. Petrichor Dyed in the Wool.

Dream State. Bitter Pill

Reckless Abandon

Petrichor

It was a hard day. No strawberry Daiquiris. No one made my bed. I made dinner when I got home. Very sad 😢. 

Have a good evening. I’m going to watch some football and knit.

Home Again

I’m home again and boy is it cold in Canada. The dogs attacked me when I walked in the door.

I made it to the third skein. Jaunty was a perfect project for vacation knitting. 

Yesterday the shipped stopped at Coco Cay. I had a great day.

I spent time in a comfy chair with this view. I took a book with me and read for a bit.

Now I need to throw some clothes in the wash. Tomorrow I’ll be in the store shipping orders and then Tuesday we’re open with our new December hours.

Happy Friday

Lynn received a box this morning with the new colours of Opal. These won’t be on the website until next week but they are available in the store tomorrow.

Skein two is almost finished. Jaunty travels the ship with me. I pull it out at every meal and I get lots of comments from the staff and fellow cruisers.

Yesterday we were in Old San Juan. Here are pictures.

Here are some photos from around the ship.

Tomorrow we’re at Coco Cay - the Royal Caribbean private island. This is my favourite stop on the cruise. I’ll be up early and one of the first off the ship.